Board of Equalization

Regular Meetings
The Board of Equalization meets on an as-needed basis. Meetings are advertised in the local paper and are open to the public.

Members & Composition
Any county or city in the Commonwealth of Virginia which uses the annual assessment method or the biennial assessment method in lieu of periodic general assessments may elect to create a permanent board of equalization. Such board shall consist of 3 or 5 members to be appointed by the circuit court, with recommendations by the Board of Supervisors.

Current Board
Currently, Powhatan County has 5 members on its Board of Equalization.

Requirements
All members of the Board of Equalization shall be residents, a majority of whom shall be freeholders, in the county for which they are to serve and shall be selected from the citizens of the county.

Appointments to the Board of Equalization shall be broadly representative of the community.

30% of the members of the board shall be commercial or residential real estate appraisers, other real estate professionals, builders, developers, or legal or financial professionals.

At least one such member shall sit in all cases involving commercial, industrial or multi-family residential property, unless waived by the taxpayer. (Reference § 15.2-716.1 and 58.1-3373 - Code of Virginia).

Term
In the case of a five-member board, for the initial terms one member shall be appointed for a one-year term, one member shall be appointed for a two-year term, and three members shall be appointed for a three-year term. As the terms of the initial appointees expire, their successors shall be appointed for terms of three years. Any vacancy occurring on any Board of Equalization shall be filled for the unexpired term by the authority making the original appointment.

Mission
Notice of a Board of Equalization hearing is for the purpose of equalizing real estate assessments in such county or city and for the purpose of hearing complaints of inequalities wherein the property owners allege a lack of uniformity in assessment, or errors in acreage in such real estate assessments. The board also shall hear complaints that real property is assessed at more than fair market value.

Training
A 3-hour training session by the State’s Department of Taxation is required before the judge makes the recommendation of his appointment official. In addition, at least once in every 4 years of service on a board of equalization, each member of a board of equalization shall take continuing education instruction provided by the Tax Commissioner.
Compensation
The compensation of the members of any such boards shall be fixed by the governing body. Currently, board members are paid on an hourly basis at $25 per hour.